Improvement in car-couplings



C. L. CLOUTMAN. Gar-Coupling.

No. 209,656. Patented Nov. 5,1878.v

Wil' 2552.5." I' X/E ln?.

N. PETERS, PHOTO-UTHDGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. Dv C,

UnrTnn STA-Tas PATENT OFFICE, y

CHARLES L. OLOUTMAN, OF FARMINGTON, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELFAND ALONZO I. NUTE, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN oAR- CouP| |NGs.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 209,656, dated November5, 1878; application filed March 2, 1878.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES L. OLOUT- MAN, of Farmington, county ofStratford, State of New Hampshire, have invented an Improvement inOar-Oouplin gs, of which the following is a speeication:

This invention relates to carcouplings, and has for its object theproduction of an antomatically-operatingcouplingdevice,quick andreliable in action.

The ends of the coupling-links, as they enter the openings in thedraw-heads, are placed in proper horizontal position under the couplingpins or/bolts by yielding pressers, and the draw-heads, as they approacheach other, operatev the bolt-suspendin g devices, which permits thebolt upheld by one of them to descend and enterr the couplinglink anddraw-head, thereby joining the cars together.

Figure l represents in side elevation, partially in section, couplingdevices such as will be placed at the ends of two cars; Fig. 2, a frontelevation of one of the draw-heads and pin or bolt carrier as it wouldappear looking at the end of a car.

The draw-heads a b, preferably of metal, will be supported, withreference to the carplatforms, in any usual way. Each drawhead has anopening, c, to receive one end of the usual coupling-link d, which, asit enters, is kept in the proper horizontal position against its bottomby the presser e, rounded at its forward end to permit the coupling-linkto pass under it. This presser c is provided with a guiding-stem, e,which extends vertically therefrom and enters a socket, g', in the caseg, where it is connected with the spring f, that acts to hold thepresser down upon the link. This case g contains the coupling pin orbolt h, which is shown as pivoted to the lower end of a lifting-rod,It', adapted to be raised by hand or otherwise, or by a chain, z',connected with the upper end of the rod, and extended to the top ofthecar.

The rod and bolt might be made as one rigid piece; but by dividing them,as shown, 1 am enabled to employ a very strong, .thick bolt and alighter rod to lift it, and the bolt is permitted a little lateral playto permit it to easily enter the coupling-link. The rod has a collar, k,and above it a spring, Z, to depress the rod and bolt quickly when notheld up by the slide-rest m, which is connected with the lever a, havinga striking-piece, o. The sliderest, lever, and striking-piece constitutewhat l denominate the bolt-suspending77 devices. A spring, 3, pressingagainst the lower end of the lever a, pushes the slide-rest m into thecase g, to support the rod and bolt when elevated, as shown at the rightof Fig. l. As the bolt is lifted the upper inclined end of the collarpushes the slide-rest out, and as the collar passes its end the slide isquickly thrown under the collar. v

When coupling together two cars one end of the coupling-link is usuallyplaced by hand within one .of the draw-heads, where it is caught by thecoupling pin or bolt. Suppose this to have been done with the draw-'heada, and that the coupling-link projects outward therefrom. The bolt ofthe draw-head b is held up, as shown in full lines, and the end of thecoupling-link, entering the opening in draw-head b, meets the presser e,which acts to hold it in proper position over the bolt-passage in suchdraw-head, and as the ends of the draw-heads approach each other thepads o meet, turning the levers a and withdrawing the slide-rests m,which permits the bolt and rod held up by one of the slide-rests to bethrown down by the spring l through the coupling-link and draw-headunder it, thereby connecting the two cars together.

The pressers keep the coupling-links from rattling and maintain thelinks in horizontal position.

These couplings may be employed for passenger or freight cars, and bytheir use accidents incident to coupling cars are avoided.

To apply this invention to draw-heads most commonly iu use, it isnecessary only to apply to such draw-heads, the presser, and the case g,and its attachments for operating the bolt. The cars being coupledtogether will have the usual bumpers.

I claiml. The rod h', collar 7c, and bolt h, in combination with theslide-rest and lever a, operating by contact of the levers onapproaching e', in combination with the casing g and its c011- couplingsto release the coupling pin or bolt, tained springf, substantially asdescribed. all substantially as described. In testimony whereof I havesigned my name 2. A coupling-pin-operat-ing rod, h', having to thisspecification in the presence of 'two a Collar, k, in combination withthe slide-rest subscribing witnesses. Y

m, spring-lever u, and striking-piece 07 sub- CHARLES L. CLOUTMAN.stantially as and for the purpose described. Witnesses:

3. In a car-coupling, a presser, e, rounded A. HUNERWADEL,

at its forward end, and having` a guiding-stem, L. A. BAXTER.

